The BBC has pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Its director-general Tim Davie announced the target in a new year speech to staff.

Davie said in a webcast: “For many reasons we have not set a net zero target before and I think we needed to.

“So this is now a commitment and we’re going to go after it,” he said of the Blue Planet broadcaster.

Tim Davie, Director General
Tim Davie, director-general (Andrew Milligan/PA)

“Every department” must “dial up the focus on sustainability”, he said.

In December the EU became the latest major economy to outline a new target to tackle greenhouse gases, pledging to cut emissions by “at least” 55% by 2030 on 1990 levels – up from its previous target of 40%.

Davie also said he wanted to see more BBC “decision-making out of London” and “core strands of our output from across the UK”.

Online plans will mean linking up digital products like iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

“We need to understand our audiences better than anyone else,” Davie said.

“We need to be speaking to our audiences as much as we can – and reflecting their world.”